School counselling centers are organizations that provide help and support to students, parents, and teachers in the areas of education and mental health. The main objectives are to promote the development and well-being of students and to help them overcome various problems they may encounter in school or in their personal lives.
Psychological counselling centers and special pedagogical care centers are two key institutions that support education and development in children and adolescents with special needs. While both play a crucial role in education, their focus and purpose are different.
Psychological counselling centers
Psychological counselling centers provide counselling services in psychology and pedagogy. Their main objectives are listed below:
- Diagnostics – focusing on psychological and pedagogical diagnostics of children and adolescents to identify their strengths, weaknesses, needs, and difficulties in education.
- Counselling – giving advice to parents, teachers, and schools on how to work with children with special needs, such as learning disorders, poor social skills, etc.
- Intervention – developing and recommending intervention programs to help children overcome their problems.
- Education – organizing various educational and training events for teaching staff.
- Recommending various support measures to children with other mother tongues.
Special pedagogical care centers
Special pedagogical care centers focus on children with severe, long-term, or specific disorders, both learning and behavioral. Their main activities and objectives are listed below:
- Care and therapy – providing special educational care and therapy to help children with various disabilities or disorders.
- Individual study plans – creating individual study plans for children to support their development and mainstreaming.
- Family support – active collaboration with families to support their development and help them deal with the challenges arising from being parents of a child with special needs.
- Collaboration with schools – promoting collaboration between schools and families to achieve a comprehensive approach to their children’s education and development.
The main differences between a psychological counselling center and a special pedagogical care center
- Focus: While the former focuses more on diagnostics and counselling related to psychological and pedagogical problems, the latter concentrates on special educational care and therapies for children with severe or specific disorders.
- Target group: The former can address a broader range of children and adolescents; the latter specializes in children with specific needs who require more extensive interventions and support.
- Services provided: While both types of institution provide counselling and diagnostics, special pedagogical care centers offer specific therapeutic and special education programs that are more focused on giving practical assistance to children with severe disorders.
In practice, both types of institution are essential partners for schools, families, and other decision-makers that are trying to guarantee quality education and development for children with various needs.